These Secrets We Carry
by The Lonesome Rose
Summary: My theory as to whom Anakin Skywalker's father could've been. Completely AU
1. Chapter 1

_T'was a love not set in writing,__  
>but for a single inscription (borne on a simple gold band).<br>Though her love, cruelly ceased,__  
>His endured by noble silence and spanned<br>to that terrible burden he carried.___

_His last thought afore that sudden mortality was of her.__  
>Her last thoughts strayed to that unknown lover whose eternal pledge she carried with her always.<em>_  
>Those secrets forever untold carried to their graves.<br>The single offspring ignorant of his lineage._

Obi-Wan strolled leisurely to the hangar, where the sounds of tinkering emerged. Nearly a week had passed since he and his apprentice had confronted Count Dooku. The lightsaber wounds he'd sustained still caused him discomfort so Yoda had sent him and Anakin back to Tantooine to recover. As well as to bring comfort to Anakin's family for Shmi Skywalker's recent death. The brief recovery period did wonders to Anakin; even Obi-Wan thrived in the dull, dry Tantooine atmosphere.  
>Anakin nodded briefly to his master and resumed his repairs on Obi-Wan's starship, which had sustained more than just a few "alterations."<br>"Really, Anakin, by the time you're done fixing it, I won't know how to fly it."  
>"In which case I will be more than happy to take it off your hands and outfit you with an apprentice-grade T-5."<br>"Nice try," Obi-Wan retorted. He examined his starship more closely. "Is that a Dreadnaught-grade proton torpedo I see on there?"  
>"One of two, in addition to a missile launcher and upgraded blasters."<br>"Jedi are supposed to be peaceful."  
>"You should've seen what I left off." Anakin grabbed a rag and began cleaning his hands. "Obi-Wan..." he began slowly "did you know my mother well?"<br>"Not especially. Why do you ask?"  
>Anakin pulled a gold band from his pocket and showed it to him. "My mother was wearing this when she died and no one could tell me where she got it."<br>"Your father gave it to her- your birth father."  
>"Who was he?"<br>Obi-Wan didn't reply for several seconds. _So the time has come to finally tell him..._ "Your father," he began "was a great Jedi and possibly the best friend I ever had."  
>Anakin's attention snapped up from the gold band. "You knew him?"<br>"You knew him as well." Ignoring his apprentice's incredulity, Obi-Wan went on "Did you ever wonder why Qui-Gon was so insistent on training you to be a Jedi, despite the fact he already had an apprentice? And how he even knew you were force-sensitive? Our crash-landing on Tantooine that day was no small chance." Obi-Wan sat down and Anakin, sensing a story, did likewise. "He transferred his memories to me when he died so, when the time came, I could tell you the unbiased sequence of events."  
>Anakin glanced at his chrono. "Plenty of time yet before supper. Now tell me <em>everything<em>."  
>"I suppose it all began when Yoda sent Qui-Gon to Tantooine to investigate a troublesome pirate gang...<p>

Qui-Gon hurried into the chamber, still wearing a flightsuit and his swaying lightsaber tapped rhythmically against it. "You wished to see me, master?" he asked, composing himself for a brief, respectful nod.  
>Yoda turned to face him. "Always late it is with you, Qui-Gon."<br>"There were some difficulties for clearance from Coruscanti space control." Just returned from a failed mission from Ziost to track an ancient Sith relic, Qui-Gon looked forward to some comparatively quiet, relaxing time training his apprentice.  
>"The usual difficulties?" Yoda asked, with a raise of an eyebrow. Without waiting for the other to affirm or deny his inquiry, the elder Jedi continued. "Master Adi Gallia brought us the report of continued raids by a local pirate gang."<br>"Pirates? But she dismissed them as a local swoop gang only a few days prior."  
>"New evidence she found. But concerned now that wrong Jedi for job she proves to be. Go you must to Tantooine and continue her search."<br>"But, master, I've only just returned. My apprentice has fallen behind in his training."  
>"Assume Apprentice Kenobi's training I will."<br>For a moment, Qui-Gon said nothing as he personally distasted the idea of getting into his starfighter again so soon. "Very well, master." He nodded again abruptly then strode from the room, thinking all the while how he abhorred the 'yes master' policy into which Yoda conformed him and all the other Jedi. This exchange only reinforced his memory that he and the Jedi Master failed to have the same perspective on every other issue that came up within the Jedi Council. He supposed that was why Yoda hadn't yet elected him to the Council. A wise decision, yet manipulative on Yoda's part, since all the other Jedi bent to his every whim. Qui-Gon was secretly pleased that his own apprentice showed no such weakness.  
>Obi-wan would make the Council yet. That much Qui-Gon knew.<br>Especially on the core teachings of the Jedi, he and Yoda disagreed. Once such instance was when Master Quinlan Vos had been removed from the Council on account of his secretly raising a child. His mate had died, in a war Qui-Gon thought, but the child had been hidden away from Yoda's notice. Or so he thought. Yoda had offered him the ultimatum of sacrificing his child or his status as a Jedi Master. Qui-Gon had been secretly pleased when Vos chose the latter. The result had been a long, heated debate between him and Yoda which had only been made worse when Yoda had discovered the encouragement Qui-Gon had given Vos for his decision.

He was in the middle of prepping his starfighter when Obi-Wan came to see him off. The padawan looked significantly crestfallen, which Qui-Gon didn't blame. Surely there were several other Jedi Masters who lacked apprentices and could be spared for the mission. When Obi-Wan came to hug him, the apprentice's head came nearly to Qui-Gon's shoulder and the master noted with amusement that the apprentice's robes had shrunk several inches. _Has it really been so long?_  
>Obi-Wan echoed his distaste for the mission. "Do you really need to go? I came in <em>last<em> at yesterday's training assessment."  
>Qui-Gon sighed. "I mentioned it to Yoda and he promised that he will personally oversee your training until I get back." He lowered his voice in case any of Yoda's "yes Jedi" were within earshot. "I don't like it anymore than you do, but <em>please<em> try to take Yoda seriously. _Even if I don't_."  
>"Yeah" Obi-Wan said, with a grimace. "Speaking of Master Yoda, he said to tell you that 'find in Twin Suns cantina you will Master Gallia's former contact. Help you in your search he will," the apprentice said in a strikingly familiar imitation of Yoda's voice. "Sit in a corner booth you must and approach you he will."<br>Qui-Gon chuckled. "If you dare do that, while I'm gone, I should have to be most displeased with you."  
>"You could <em>try<em>, but I doubt you'd be successful." The smirk faded from Obi-Wan's face. "It's going to be ages until I'm ready for the trial, at the rate Yoda's interfering."  
>"I'll make it up to you, as soon as I get back." <p>


	2. Chapter 2 and Conclusion

**Wrote this ages ago but wanted to get this finished. Qui-Gon was always my favorite character in the prequels. **

As it turned out, the "soon as I get back part" seemed a lifetime away when Qui-Gon found himself in yet another tangle with space control. He wondered just how other Jedi were able to evade it so easily. He was directed down and forced to redirect through two dozen control channels just to get landing permission at the local spaceport. For some odd reason the locals of the planet seemed wary of any Jedi and let him know in no small terms. _The same story at every one,_ he thought dryly. _It would be much less hassle to just cut them all down. _Finally, nearly four standard hours later he received permission to land. Navigating through the spaceport maze, he weaved amid the ships, searching for Master Gallia with no success. His last comm from the Council had explicitly stated that she would be here to fill him in with the details. Finally with a sigh, he resorted to force measures. Searching through the force he could find no trace of Gallia and was forced to conclude she had left within those four hours.  
>"The force preserve Tantooine space control if this mission fails and I turn to the dark side" Qui-Gon muttered, as he backtracked to his starfighter. Sure enough, the comm from Gallia had just been received. <em>He was supposed to meet her three hours ago, where in space had he been? She'd told her contact he was coming and the force help him if he missed that too! <em>For the first time in hours, Qui-Gon managed a wry grin. Perhaps it had been best Gallia hadn't been here waiting four hours for him.  
>Leaving a message for Obi-Wan, warning him to mind Yoda, Qui-Gon sealed his ship and headed to the streets to find the cantina.<p>

The burst of damp, smoke-dulled air that slapped his face as soon as he entered the cantina seemed a welcome relief to the dry atmosphere of the planet. Making his way among various inebriated beings, Qui-Gon reached the bar.  
>"Wha'll it be?"<br>"Spiced ale," Qui-Gon said, laying a cred-coin on the counter. Inconspicuously, he cast a wary glance around the other denizens of the cantina, but most took no notice at all. Perhaps a Jedi on Tantooine wasn't unusual after all. He was trying to list from memory which of the Order members had actually been on the planet, as he headed over to a corner booth. Sipping his ale, he cast a careful force scan around the cantina, searching for any sign of his contact. He could feel attention drifting towards him. _Hostility...resentment...curiosity..._ Surprised, he focused on the latter.

"Su'cuy," hissed a voice from behind him.

Qui-Gon casually turned to see a Mandalorian clad in pink armor take the empty seat across from him. "Tion cuyir Jetii Jinn?" "I take it you're my contact." "Ke nayc olar!" The Mandalorian leaned across the table suddenly. "I don't do Basic in public. Make it look _good_."

Qui-Gon was about to inquire what she meant when she suddenly drew a blaster.

"Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod?" The Mandalorian demanded, shoving her chair back and aiming the blaster at him.

Rising, Qui-Gon lowered a hand to waver beside his lightsaber.

"Gar serim." Blasterfire erupted from her twin barreled blaster. Qui-Gon left to the side and drew his lightsaber.

"No blasters! No blasters!" The bartender cried in vain as the Mandalorian shot the glass in his hand. He dove for cover beneath the bar.

Igniting his lightsaber in time to deflect another round of blasts, Qui-Gon felt the curiosity again. _A sweet, childlike curiosity, without a trace of fear…rather of trust…_

"Stuta, Jedai!" warned a patron.

Qui-Gon missed the shot by mere centimeters. In a sudden dive to the floor, he dropped his lightsaber and an eager Jawa rushed to grab it.

"Utinni, opakwa!" it chittered excitedly, grabbing the weapon.

"Nyeta, opawi!" demanded another, as they started a tug-of-war.

Qui-Gon called his lightsaber back and it flew into his hand.

The Jawas stared at him then their mood darkened. "Shootogawa!" they yelled to the Mandalorian, pointing at Qui-Gon.  
>Qui-Gon headed for the exit, force-leaping over tables and startled patrons. <em>I didn't sign up for this kind of mission,<em> he thought grimly. _For all I know, that Mandalorian is one of the pirates. _He halted a few feet from the door, when the Mandalorian landed in front of him.

"Ori'buyce, kih'kovid," she said mockingly, knocking his lightsaber away with a flick of her wrist.

Qui-Gon force-shoved her forwards, across the cantina, into the frightened bartender. Calmly, he strode to his weapon and clipped it back to his belt.

The Mandalorian scrambled to her feet, aiming another blast at him. The weapon jerked upward and fired into the ceiling. "Nar dralshy'a." She dropped the weapon and shot a cable at Qui-Gon, which snaked around him in an instant, pinning his arms to his sides.

Yanking backwards, Qui-Gon pulled her to the ground. Borrowing a vibroknife from a startled patron, he slit the cable. Just as the Mandalorian stood, he held her in place with the force and casually strode to stand before her. "Don't cross swords with a Jedi, mate" he coolly declaredloud enough for all the others to hear. He released her and she slumped to the floor. He glanced around at the rest of the patrons. "Anyone else have business with me?" No one dared to look him in the eye. _I take it I've worn out my welcome. _"Sorry for the mess," he apologized to the bartender, tossing him a handful of credits.

He retreated to his starfighter, wondering what he was supposed to do now. _Pack up for Coruscant and delegate someone_ better_ for this mission. _

"I thought you came to talk."

Qui-Gon looked up to see the Mandalorian leaning against his ship. "So you _are_ my contact. I wasn't sure you'd want to talk after what happened."  
>"You passed the test." The Mandalorian pulled off her helmet to reveal short auburn hair cropped close to a round face which sported a long, thin scar on one side. "I'm Rhara."<p>

* * *

><p>"I thought this had to do with my mother," Anakin interrupted, displaying his clear contempt for Mandalorians.<p>

Obi-Wan sighed. "I was just getting to that part."

* * *

><p>"And the last attack was…?"<p>

"Yesterday. Adi Gallia and I were both there, but even then we couldn't…"

"Wait." Qui-Gon reached out with the force. _Anger…fear…pain…_ "Stay here." He strode to the far end of the hangar where a man, obviously drunk, was yelling at a woman most likely his slave. He stood there for a moment, watching, feeling his blood boil. He should've ignored it; Yoda would have told him to. '_None of your business it is' _Yoda's voice echoed in his mind. But every fiber of his being protested it. Strongly outspoken within the Jedi for his anti-slave views, he couldn't stand to see a being mistreat another.

The woman stood there, unmoving, as her master hurled daggers of insults and accusations at her, not bothering to defend herself. An open gash stood on one cheek.

"You lazy, good-for-nothing wretch!" slurred the man, advancing aggressively towards her.

Qui-Gon threw him backwards into the wall. He waited, arms folded, as the man rose unsteadily; face reddened with rage.

"Stay outta my business, Jedi!"

"You have no right to mistreat that woman," Qui-Gon said, voice darkened with rage. "Get out of here _now._"

Swearing in Huttese, the man surged toward him, drawing a blaster. He fired once, twice.

Qui-Gon drew his lightsaber, redirecting the shots to hit harmlessly into the wall. When the man was close enough, he clipped him on the back of the head with his lightsaber. The man crumpled senselessly to the ground.

He turned to the woman. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

She shook her head.  
>"Come with me." He led her back to his ship where Rhara waited.<p>

The Mandalorian's expression was unreadable, when she saw the woman.

"I saw you in the cantina," she said, breaking the silence. "I've only _heard_ of Jedi before now."

_So you were the one I felt. _"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn. This is Rhara."

"Shmi Skywalker."

* * *

><p>Anakin's half-brother Owen poked his head into the hangar. "Beru has supper ready." He glanced at Anakin's handiwork on the starfighter, before ducking back out.<p>

Anakin groaned under his breath.

Obi-Wan rose and stretched.

"What about the rest? The pirates? Yoda? yourself?"

"If you haven't guessed already, the space pirates have little significance in the unfolding of events. But as for myself and Yoda…" Obi-Wan's voice trailed off. "Let's just say that, had Yoda not interfered, your childhood would have been drastically different."

"I don't believe Yoda could've _just_ found out."

Obi-Wan paused in the doorway, feeling Anakin's eyes boring into the back of his head. "He didn't. He was told."

All through supper, Obi-Wan had felt Anakin's attention on him. And, as soon as they returned to the hangar, Anakin rounded excitedly on his master.

"Who told Yoda?" he demanded. "It was you, wasn't it?"

"Wouldn't you rather I tell you in order of events?"

"Fine, but forget the space pirates."

"Well, aside from the pirates, Qui-Gon found a better reason to remain on Tantooine for the present. He had fallen in love with your mother…

* * *

><p>Several weeks had passed since his arrival on Tantooine. He, Rhara and Shmi worked to track down the space pirates with mixed success. After one such day, when Qui-Gon was meditating, Shmi came to see him.<p>

"Little success is better than none," he said outloud as she drew nearer. He turned to face her "with your help of course. And Rhara's. You're both able to fit in among the planet better than I ever could."

"I'm honoured I could assist a Jedi." She paused a moment then continued. "You're just like the stories I've heard."

"I hope they were the good ones"

"Assuredly"

Qui-Gon gazed at her. Sorrow pricked him, and he felt her similar feelings with his next words: "I can't stay here much longer."

"Why not?"

"Back on Coruscant, I have an apprentice I haven't heard from. He needs me."

Shmi drew closer and took his hands in hers. "So do I," she said softly.

"This is against the Jedi Code."

"When have you ever followed it? Bring your apprentice here and train him."

Qui-Gon shook his head. "If I brought him here, it would only be a matter of time before he found out…about us. Someday, we'll be found out. But not yet."

* * *

><p>"Not long after, Qui-Gon received the comm from Yoda, telling him to return to Coruscant. Qui-Gon readily resumed my training."<p>

"And, all that time, you never found out?"

"My master could hide his emotions like no other Jedi could. None of us suspected anything.

About two years after their initial meeting, they were married in secret before a minister with only Rhara acting as witness. From then Qui-Gon lived a double life: training me on Coruscant and spending time with Shmi on Tantooine. Then, about a year and a half later, the space pirates were brought to the Jedi Council's attention again. Once again, Qui-Gon was elected to go…

* * *

><p>"This routine <em>again<em>?" Obi-Wan muttered in disgust, as he helped his master ready the starfighter. "I'm starting to think he's doing this on purpose." He'd given his master the full report of last time and it had been less than satisfactory. "He's going to ignore me. The reports of renewed Sith activity have only increased since the last time."

"I'm sure Yoda will see that you're trained sufficiently."

Obi-Wan snorted. "Doubtfully"

Qui-Gon suspected the real reason Yoda kept sending him off was to keep Obi-Wan from becoming too much like him. They already shared a mutual dislike for Yoda.

"Why can't I go with you?"

"Because Yoda didn't give you permission"

"When has that ever stopped you before?"

"Perhaps next time" Qui-Gon wasn't ready to bring his apprentice anywhere near his wife. The thought of seeing her was a burning candle carefully hidden in the darkest recess of his mind to avoid detection by any other Jedi. Hiding it from Yoda had been difficult, but he had done it.

Obi-Wan, unlike Yoda, seemed to suspect something, but his limited training prevented him from finding out _what_. "Master, you don't seem as upset to be sent off again."

"Perhaps I've merely become one of Yoda's 'yes Jedi'."

"Not you. _Ever_. There must be something else."

Qui-Gon said nothing, as he gathered his apprentice in a farewell hug. This time, Obi-Wan was only a few inches shorter than him. _Perhaps someday you'll understand. _

Rhara met him at the spaceport. Slight annoyance was apparent on her face. He'd had another two hour delay courtesy of space control. "Why's it so hard for you to travel anywhere?"

"To be perfectly honest, I've never quite figured that out." He lowered his voice "and _her_?" Rhara had kept in constant touch with him, under guise of the space pirate assignment, about Shmi.

Of course it wasn't just his wife anymore. They had a son now. _Anakin Skywalker. _Qui-Gon and Shmi had mutually agreed that Anakin's lineage should be kept hidden from the Jedi and anyone else who asked. For their own protection, Anakin's birth records said nothing of the father so anyone would simply assume it had been another slave. According to Shmi, it wasn't uncommon for slaves to do so.

They stayed with Rhara, who was more than enough protection as far as Qui-Gon was concerned. Someday all of their walls of secrecy would be penetrated, but for now they were happy.

Qui-Gon held his arms out to Anakin, who clumsily made his way towards him. "Come on…a little further…" he encouraged.

Shmi looked on proudly. After awhile, she said "You said before he had potential to be like you."

The Jedi gathered his son in his arms. "I did."

"I want you to train him as your apprentice, when he's older."

"I'm resigning from the Order," he admitted. "I can't go on like this much longer. If Yoda finds out, it will be all the worse."

Shmi faced him. "_Please_, promise me you'll train our son."

"I promise." Qui-Gon, though enjoying the time with his family, found his mind wandering to Obi-Wan and the negligence he was receiving in his training. Doubtfully Yoda, with all other his concerns, was keeping up with it.

Rhara hurried in the room. "The pirates are headed back in-system. I've been monitoring their comm frequencies."

"That settles it." Qui-Gon handed Anakin to his wife and followed Rhara outside to his starship. He activated the comm system in his ship and keyed in his apprentice's comm code. "Obi-Wan?"

"Master, has something gone wrong with the mission?"

"I need you to come here as quickly as possible. We're going to deal with the pirates for the last time." He could almost see the grin on Obi-Wan's face.

"How should I get away?"

"Be creative, but get here fast." Qui-Gon signed off. "Now, the hard part: we wait."

The pirates had justlanded when Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan. Rhara had been updating him on the whereabouts of the pirates every couple minutes, but he had tuned it out to meditate. To concentrate on the upcoming task. To banish his thoughts and fears so his mind would be clear for the confrontation. As he now focused on his apprentice, he half heard Rhara again. "Where are they?"

"About five miles from the spaceport"

"We'll meet them in between."

The three of them were camped out in an alley, not far from the ship.

Obi-Wan's eyes were closed in concentration and he reached out with the force to the pirates. "About two dozen, master. And reserves"

"How many?"

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed. "I can't tell. They're being shielded by something dark…beneath the cargo bay. Smuggling holds?"

"We'll draw them out." Qui-Gon glanced at Rhara. "Can you manage out here yourself?"

"After the brawl in the cantina, you doubt my survival skills?" Rhara retorted. She drew her _beskar_ sword and checked her jetpack. "Just don't pull that Mary Sue act on me."

"Fair enough" Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan slunk towards the ship, lightsabers drawn but not ignited. They paused by the lowered ramp and, after sensing no immediate danger, slipped inside. The cockpit was empty.

Obi-Wan started to turn back to his master when he someone jumped him and brought him crashing to the floor. As hands tightened their grip on his throat, black spots danced before his eyes.

"Mind your surroundings," came Qui-Gon's voice over the sound of a similar tussle.

Obi-Wan stopped struggling and instead focused on his lightsaber pinned beneath him. Slowly, painstakingly, he edged it forward. His vision was nearly gone and his body screamed for air, but he focused on freeing his lightsaber. Finally, it popped out and the apprentice directed it to meet his attacker's head with a satisfying crack. He pushed himself onto his knees and waited there a moment, blind and dizzy, as he took several deep breaths. He felt Qui-Gon crouch beside him and lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Well done"

Obi-Wan merely nodded. He sensed more of the pirates rushing to attack them and, all at once, whirled to meet them. "We've got to get to the cargo hold, master."

Qui-Gon lowered his lightsaber and focused on several of the pirates at once. It was a tricky venture to attempt a mind control on so many, but Obi-Wan never doubted his master. Granted the odds of the moment were significantly increased for them when he was forced to defend his master and himself against nearly a dozen. Several blasters spitted fire…but the majority of the pirates wielded gaffi sticks. They flirted the weapons out of his reach and nearly skewed him with the sharp end.

"The enemy is outside," Qui-Gon murmured, a suggestive timbre in his voice as he made a slight motion with his free hand. "Guard the ship."

"Get outside, you womp rats! Defend the ship from the intruders," demanded the lead pirate. Within seconds, they were gone.

Obi-Wan glanced after them doubtfully. "Can she handle that many?"

"Quite"

As they continued their way to the cargo hold, Obi-Wan tried to reach out with the force again but the same dark sense thwarted his efforts. "Whatever's down there, they sure don't want it found."

"These aren't typical space pirates."

A few guards were waiting for them, but the Jedi took care of them easily.

Obi-Wan found the smuggling holds and dropped down into the darkness. A slight thump behind told him his master had done the same. As they drew closer, Obi-Wan's lightsaber fizzled and died. But the light was unnecessary. In the middle of the smuggling hold stood a wide platform, which seemed to be built into the ship. It was from the top of the platform that the eerie blue-gray light radiated.

"What is it?"

"My failed previous mission," Qui-Gon said, with a wry smile.

Obi-Wan peered closer at the device and recognized the Sith relic his master had been sent to retrieve wired in the center. "But _what_ is it?"

Qui-Gon studied the device a moment then held his lightsaber close to it and ignited it. Nothing happened. "An energy absorption device"

"It must be absorbing a lot of energy to glow like that."

"An _enormous_ amount of energy"

Sudden realization came to the apprentice. "Would it absorb blaster-energy? That would explain the gaffi sticks. But how it channels the energy…?"

"Remember how you couldn't detect anything down here?"

"It's a cloaking device. With enough energy input, it could probably hide the entire ship from scanners."

"And jam communication devices"

"It's no wonder they haven't managed to catch them then. But what do we do with it?"

"Destroy it"

"But if absorbs energy…" Obi-Wan met Qui-Gon's eyes and trailed off... _beskar _

Rhara could certainly hold her own against the space pirates, Qui-Gon thought when he saw her engaged with nearly half a dozen. The others were sending a constant hail of blasterfire at her, but she merely danced out of the way. Her jetpack lay abandoned on the ground, having proven hindersome to her fighting technique. Both Jedi immediately began challenging the blaster yielders.

When his apprentice had thus engaged the attackers around Rhara, Qui-Gon tossed the Sith relic device to her.

She looked at it questionably.

_Destroy it._ Qui-Gon opened his mind to her and provided her with a mental illustration of what he wanted her to do.

She nodded and proceeded with the task.

Behind Qui-Gon came a strangled cry. He knew his error even before he saw Obi-Wan unconscious on the ground. A pirate welding a gaffi stick stood over the fallen apprentice. Qui-Gon had let his guard down and Obi-Wan had read his mind and discovered his secret. And the brief lack of concentration had cost the apprentice. Qui-Gon force-threw the pirate into the ship.

With the enemy gone, he bent down beside his apprentice. His concern increased when he noticed blood pouring from the chest wound. Tearing a strip of cloth from his tunic, he pressed it against the wound. Obi-Wan murmured incoherently as he tossed and turned in delirium. Qui-Gon laid his free hand on Obi-Wan's brow and concentrated on calming him. He was hot to the touch. "Is there an antidote to the poison?" he asked Rhara, his voice deathly calm.

"There might be an old Tantooine one."

Qui-Gon managed a nod. Shmi would know it. There was no use hiding it anymore, with Obi-Wan's life at stake. He tied a makeshift bandage on the wound and gently scooped up his apprentice. "Make sure space control finds out about the pirates," he called over his shoulder to Rhara.

"You know what this means" Shmi said gravely, when Qui-Gon had returned with his apprentice.

"Do you know the antidote? Can you help him?"

"I might, but you realize what this means…for us."

"I can't lose another apprentice," Qui-Gon admitted. "It's my fault this happened at all. _Please_, help him."

Shmi silently went off to make the antidote.

Even Qui-Gon knew there might not be enough time. Leaning over Obi-Wan, he laid his hand on his apprentice's brow and focused on a force healing technique.

_Always, it was the same vision over and over. Qui-Gon stood before the Jedi Council pleading to be with his wife. Yoda shook his head and said something, something he couldn't hear. Qui-Gon suddenly leapt up, drawing his lightsaber. Another lightsaber snap hissed to life. Mace Windu's. The two masters fought. _

_He stood there, frozen to the spot, unable to help his master. Some other masters came over and together they subdued Qui-Gon. Mace Windu and Yoda left the room, despite Qui-Gon's and his own protests…_

Obi-Wan awoke with a start and started to sit up, but a sharp pain checked him and he lay back down. "Your feelings betray you, Obi-Wan."

The apprentice looked over to see his master in a chair beside the bed. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words.

"I realize what happened was largely my fault. I should've told you sooner."

"I…I shouldn't have pried, master."

"The important thing is you're going to be alright," His voice was absent of the lecture-warning Obi-Wan had expected. "It's thanks to Shmi that you're alive at all."

"What about the pirates?"

"The pirates have been in space control custody for nearly forty-eight hours." His tone seemed to gain gravity. "Obi-Wan you know what must be done."

"I can't, master. The vision I had…"

"I can't ask you to keep my secret forever. If Yoda finds out, it will be all the worse for both of us."

Obi-Wan took the Temple steps two at a time. Hesitation and fear tore at him. Even his master's reassurance hadn't been convincing. Yet he had still come, as soon as he had recovered. Doubt nagged at him like a pesky to-be-padawan. When he saw Yoda, his throat clammed up suddenly and he felt the sweat collecting on his robes. _I don't want to do this! _But he knew Qui-Gon had been right. It was better if he told Yoda, rather than the Jedi Master finding out for himself.

"Ah, so soon you return, Apprentice Kenobi?"

After everything else, Obi-Wan had nearly forgotten his abrupt, and entirely unauthorized, departure from the Temple. "Master Yoda, there's something I need to tell you."

"Heh. Important this news is?" His eyes scrutinized Obi-Wan's face so deeply that the apprentice had to lower his gaze to his boots.

"It's…my master. I …I found out that he has a wife on Tantooine."

Yoda's expression hardened. "Saw this coming I should have. Too arrogant Qui-Gon is. To the Council the case shall be presented."

Qui-Gon made it to the Temple in merely a few hours, without his customary clearance delay. Yoda must've had a word with Coruscant space control.

He stood before the Council now with a steady air of confidence around him.

Had the tension in the air been any thicker, Obi-Wan thought he would've suffocated. None of the Masters looked pleased; least of all Yoda. He tried to use the force to detect his master's real emotions, but Qui-Gon was, as always, impossible to read. The apprentice thought with pleasure that not even Yoda could read his master.

"Brought to us a serious charge your apprentice did Qui-Gon. Said an attachment you had."

"I don't deny it," Qui-Gon said simply.

"Against the Jedi Code you have gone."

"Well I don't think so."

A hush fell over the Council.

"You mean to tell us you don't think attachment goes against the Jedi Code?" demanded Mace Windu, one of Yoda's more prominent "yes Jedi." As far as he and the others were concerned, the Jedi Code was law.

Whereas Qui-Gon merely saw the Code as a guideline.

Obi-Wan's eyes were glued to his master now and he recognized, from Qui-Gon's ever-so-slightly hardened expression and the slight tensing of his shoulders, that he was about to go on the offensive.

"You say I have broken the Jedi Code, have gone against one of our core values and no longer deserve to be a Jedi…"

Here several masters nodded; Mace Windu included.

"Attachment you say weakens. Yet, these three years, can anyone accuse me of neglecting my duties as a Jedi Master and my apprentice Obi-Wan?" He indicated Obi-Wan with a short nod. "The only reason his training is lacking is due to the mission Yoda assigned to me. You will note, in the archives that the space pirates have been sufficiently dealt with. You will also note the detailed accomplishment of my apprentice during my brief periods of training him. Can any of you accuse my attachment of weakening me or clouding my judgment?"

A few of the masters fidgeted uncomfortably. Yoda's eyes were narrowed, displaying his clear displeasure.

"One might consider the master/ apprentice relationship as attachment. And yet, without that attachment, how could the apprentices ever hope to make it to the Jedi trials?"

No one could doubt Qui-Gon's wisdom or his knack for finding loopholes within the Code. No wonder he and Yoda disliked each other, Obi-Wan thought.

"Speaking of your apprentice, he left the Temple without the Council's permission," ventured a master.

Qui-Gon wasn't thrown off track. "The issue at hand concerns me, not my apprentice. I'm the one who told him to come and help fight the pirates, which he did most excellently."

"And plan to remain Jedi Master with attachment you do?" inquired Yoda.

Qui-Gon happened to meet Obi-Wan's glance before replying. "I ask the Council to accept my resignation from the Order."

"And of your apprentice as well?"

"With the Council's permission, I wish to complete Obi-Wan's training."

Obi-Wan looked hopefully at the masters. Even Yoda couldn't resist such an offer- being rid of Qui-Gon from the Order. And yet…Qui-Gon was one of their best fighters.

After several minutes of discussion with the other Jedi masters, Yoda finally voiced his decision. "Rejects your request the Council does."

"You've gone too far against the Council, Master Jinn," added Mace Windu.

Obi-Wan returned his gaze to his master. Still Qui-Gon showed no emotion, but the apprentice could feel his resistance to grief breaking.

Without another word, Qui-Gon strode from the chamber.

Obi-Wan cast a quick glance at the Council before hurrying after his master.

"Say nothing, Obi-Wan. The blame lies with me, not you."

* * *

><p>A heavy silence had descended as soon as Obi-Wan had finished.<p>

Anakin seemed to be pondering his words thoughtfully. "So all of this was Yoda's fault."

"Yes…and no…I suppose he only did what he thought was right. Anakin, don't make an enemy out of Yoda as your father did."

"And how you've done?"

"Yoda's not my enemy" _granted Qui-Gon taught me to watch out for him, but I'm not exactly against him._

"So what happened to my mother after that?"

"Yoda and Master Windu went to Tantooine and erased all her memories of the events."

Anakin said nothing more and headed for the hangar door.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan's voice pierced the stillness. "I've seen how you look at Padme. Don't make the same mistake he did."

"So all of it…I'm a mistake?"

_Master, help me put some sense into your boy! _"You're not a mistake. Qui-Gon was caught up in the moment and failed to see the outcome of his choices before it was too late. You don't know how much he suffered."

"So you're saying what he did was wrong."

"I didn't say that. Your duty is as a Jedi; Padme has no part in your future."

"You're wrong, master," murmured Anakin, under his breath. Then he was gone.

Obi-Wan looked after his apprentice regretfully, feeling that the willful padawan was steadily slipping out of his grasp. _I'm losing him, Qui-Gon. It should be you training him, not me. If the outcome of the fight had been different…if it had been me…_Forcing himself out of self-pity, he recalled his master's dying wish.

"_Obi-Wan. Promise…Promise me you will train my boy._"

"_Yes, Master._"

"_He…_is_ the Chosen One. He…_will_ bring balance. Train him…_"

_I can't do it without you, master. _With a sigh, Obi-Wan left the hangar.


End file.
